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The Centrifuge

Join us as Futures Grants finalists take the stage to pitch pilot projects that put the Centrifuge mission into action. 

Futures Grants Pitch Presentations

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 from 4-6 p.m. ET
350 Cobb Hall, University of Virginia

 

Event Schedule


Opening Remarks
Paul Cherukuri, UVA's first chief innovation officer, explores what's possible when universities meet the future head-on. 

Live Pitches
Watch finalist teams present bold, multidisciplinary projects addressing real-world challenges.

Expert Panel
Academic, community, and industry leaders evaluate each pitch on vision, feasibility, and potential for impact.  

Awards Announced
The panel spotlights winning projects and explains what makes them compelling.

This event is free and open to the public.

Finalist Cohort Close Icon Close

Developing a Chatbot to Support Family Dementia Caregivers (DARCI)

DARCI is a retrieval-augmented AI chatbot built with and for family dementia caregivers, providing accurate, localized resource guidance to the 99% of UVA dementia patients' families who currently have no access to a care coordinator.

  • Nur Yildirim, UVA School of Data Science
  • Virginia Gallagher, UVA School of Medicine
  • Don Brown, UVA School of Data Science

Building Intelligent Worlds: AI-Powered Extended Reality for Research and Training in Healthcare, Transportation, and Aviation

This project uses generative AI to power adaptive, immersive training environments for nurses, VDOT transportation technicians, and air traffic controllers — replacing static simulations with experiences that respond in real time to each learner.

  • Arsalan Heydarian, UVA Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • T. Donna Chen, UVA Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Devin Harris, UVA Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Margaret K. Sande, UVA School of Medicine
  • Ryan W. Henry, UVA Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Addressing Unmet Community Needs for Affordable, Accessible 'Forever Chemical' Testing

This team has developed a low-cost biosensor that can detect PFAS "forever chemicals" in water and soil for under $1 per sample — working directly with Central Virginia community partners to put rapid, accessible testing in the hands of people who need it most.

  • Bryan W. Berger, UVA School of Engineering and Applied Science
  • Michael P. Timko, UVA College of Arts and Sciences
  • Stuart Overbey, Don't Spread On Me

A Solutions Lab in Energy and Infrastructure

An industry-integrated innovation program that pairs multidisciplinary student teams with real-world challenges from energy and infrastructure partners, producing actionable solutions and workforce-ready graduates.

  • Jonah Fogel, UVA Environmental Institute
  • Mike Lenox, UVA Darden School of Business
  • David Lapinski, UVA Career Center
  • Brian Breslin, UVA Innovates

Meet the Judges Close Icon Close

CL Bohannon headshot

C.L. Bohannon, Ph.D., FASLA 

Senior Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Community Engagement, UVA 

C.L. Bohannon is a nationally recognized scholar in community-engaged design, social and environmental justice, and African American landscapes. He is founder and director of the Community Engagement Lab and brings 18 years of teaching experience rooted in his "R3" approach — Real People, Real Problems, Real Projects.

Jen Fleisher headshot

Jen Fleisher

Member, Charlottesville City Council

Jen Fleisher is a public health practitioner and recently elected member of Charlottesville City Council. As a program officer with the Blue Ridge Health District, she led the region's COVID-19 mobile vaccination program and directs the Community Health Improvement Plan, focused on transportation, healthcare access, and equity. She holds a Master of Public Health from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Mike Moore headshot

Mike Moore

Former Chief Commercial Officer, Board Director, WillowTree, Inc. 

Mike Moore is a co-owner and Chief Commercial Officer of WillowTree, one of the largest independent digital product agencies in the United States. A seasoned technology and digital media executive with 25+ years of experience, he previously held leadership roles at AOL and Telegraph Media Group and competed as a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Rowing Team.